Last Hawaii Entry

I wanted to talk about one more place that we visited in Hawaii. It is the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. More commonly know as the Punchbowl Crater. This is a cemetery inside of an extinct crater. It is solemn and sacred place. It is comprised of two main things. One is of course the cemetery. It is full of rows and rows of the standard military headstones. Then you have the Memorial, it consists of two rows of walls covered with the names of over 28,000 who's body's were never recovered. Here and there you will see a name with a star by it. This notes a Medal of Honor recipient. Then at the top of the stairs is another wall with details of each of the major battles of the pacific. It includes a small chapel. We could feel the spirit of this place. Just as with Pearl Harbor, my gratitude for the freedom that we enjoy was increased. I sometimes worry that many Americans today do not understand or appreciate the price that has been paid for them.